Coral Gables Riviera-Times

Coral Gables Will Boast Daily Publication on Monday

Coral Gables will boast a full-fledged metropolitan newspaper of its own for the first time in history Monday when the Riviera-Times makes its bow as a daily publication. The single daily edition of the paper will be delivered to news stands and Gables doorsteps each afternoon five days a week, Monday through Friday. There will be no Saturday or Sunday editions. To Stress Local News "Local news and news happenings elsewhere which affect this community and the adjacent neighborhoods served by the Gables business and shopping district will take precedence in the news, sports and society columns of the daily Riviera-Times," Managing Editor James B. Moore announced. International and national stories received in the Riviera-Times office by United Press teletype will be briefed to keep readers abreast of the day's important events throughout the nation and the world, Moore said. United Press reports will also insure full coverage of state news and provide capsule accounts of major sports developments North, East, South and West. In announcing the paper's entry into the daily field, Publisher Albert E. Harum called attention to the fact that both the City of Coral Gables and the Riviera-Times "came of age" during 1947. Teamwork Cited "Since their founding back in 1926, the city and the Riviera-Times have been battered by storms, financial and otherwise, but side by side both have weathered hurricane and calm, boom and bust, prosperity and depression," he said. "In 21 short years Coral Gables has reached a stature to brag about and is flexing its muscles toward even greater growth," Harum declared. "It's a lusty youngster among municipalities, howling for more goals to achieve and more dreams to realize. "The Coral Gables Riviera-Times, the newspaper which is read in 94 per cent of the city's homes, is proud to be able to match the pace and to provide Coral Gables with a voice worthy of the city it serves," the publisher said. Staff Is Enlarged An enlarged staff, to insure full coverage of the Gables area, has been assembled for the daily publication. Don Cuddy, whose sports column is already familiar to Riviera-Times readers, will serve as sports editor. Al Brandon will cover city desk assignments, while Clifford Wilmath will serve as a special staff writer. Mary Helm Clarke will continue her popular Riviera Notebook column, while Peggy Tomes will handle radio news. In the woman's department Helen Reynolds will act as society and club editor, with Julia Harum as woman's page editor. Barbara Pierce has been named assistant society editor. Neighborhood correspondents already named include Mary Hickey, Frog Hollow; Dot Thagard, Lower No Man's Land, and Peggy Gordon, Schenley Park. A selection of the top comic strips in the United States will bring a barrel of laughs a day to Riviera-Times readers. Slated to appear daily on the comic page are Smitty, Harold Teen, the Gumps, Winnie Winkle and Barry Noble, a new adventure strip. The Herald Tribune daily cross-word puzzle, acclaimed by fans as tops in its field, will also appear daily. Editorial page features will include "Our Town," conducted by Jim Moore and Al Harum and the popular "It Says Here," containing amusing tid-bits about people you know, which will be staff compiled. In the advertising department, under the direction of Kenneth Reynolds, business manager, will be James Tomes and J. Francis Hickey in display and Frances Fowles and Miss Camilla A. Przygocki in classified.

When will my daily Riviera-Times be delivered? The presses start rolling at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Carriers from your own neighborhood will pick up their papers and start for their routes as soon after three as school hours permit. What happens to the money paid in advance for my subscription to the weekly Riviera-Times? The balance has been credited to your account and will serve as initial payments for the daily editions. How do I pay for the daily newspaper? By check, $12 yearly, or by cash, 25 cents weekly, to your carrier boy. What is the deadline to get news items in the daily Riviera-Times? Society and club news, 5 p. m. the day before; sports news, 5 p.m. the day before; page one news, up until 2 p.m. the day of publication. Items submitted well in advance will be assured of prominent play and adequate space in all columns.

Play It Safe

Get your free X-ray today! Make sure you do not have tuberculosis!

CORAL GABLES Riviera-Times

VOL. 21 — No. 42 TWO SECTIONS CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1947 12 PAGES TEN CENTS

On The Air

Hear Jim Moore, your Riviera-Times reporter, at 5:30 p.m. today over WBAY.

Building Tops Million Dollars For Ninth Consecutive Month

YOUTH CENTER FUND DRIVE IS LAUNCHED Campaign Plans Are Mapped At Meeting

Opening gun for the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center's 1947 fund drive was fired this week when women sponsors, under leadership of Mrs. Richard Oelkers, blueprinted plans for a street-by-street canvas of Gables homes. The men's division will mobilize for action Monday evening at a meeting called by Co-Chairman Ed Rogers, while President Harry Morganthaler will summon his board of directors for their regular perfunctory session Wednesday. To Expand Program Drive directors emphasized that operating funds amassed during the campaign will be earmarked for financing of an expanded program of sports, educational and social activities scheduled to get under way upon completion of the Center's new wing. Betty Ward and Edward Beckman, co-directors of the nationally publicized youth project, reported that the new quarters now under construction would be ready for use on Dec. 7, second anniversary of the unique memorial to Gables men who served in World War II. Separate Quarters The wing will provide separate recreation quarters for boys and girls of high school age. The two original clubrooms will be turned (Please Turn to Page Two)

Riviera-Times Pictorial Supplement To Be Distributed Monday Afternoon

The history of Coral Gables and its prospects for the future will be told in story and picture on Monday when the 1947-48 edition of the Riviera-Times Progress Supplement is distributed with the first issue of the daily newspaper. Civic leaders who have seen advance copies of the Supplement have hailed it as one of the finest pieces of promotional literature ever produced in the community. The 20-page book, printed on heavy, glossy paper, will tell the story of Coral Gables to interested persons all over the nation, through a special arrangement for extra distribution made with the Chamber of Commerce. Every person writing to the Chamber of Commerce for information concerning home building or business opportunities in Coral Gables will receive a copy of the Supplement. Extra copies will also be furnished to the Coral Gables Board of Realtors to use as promotional literature for the community. Readers desiring extra copies of the book to send to friends in other cities may obtain them from the Chamber of Commerce office.

Goblin Parade To Precede Elementary School Carnival

Mayor W. Keith Phillips will give up the ghost and surrender the town to the Maharaja of Mirth tomorrow when the Coral Gables Elementary School presents its first full-scale Hallowe'en Carnival since the war. Banshees and hobgoblins, pirates and black cats will fall in behind the University of Miami Band in the 3:30 p.m. parade to the school grounds, which touches off the fun. Midway Features From four o'clock until midnight the Midway set up by members of the Parent-Teachers Association will echo with the calls of barkers inviting young and old to try their skill at clown shoes, ring-the-cane, tricky Tom, balloon dart and duck pond. While costume - youngsters invest hoarded allowances in jeep or pony rides, Mom and Pop will shop for Christmas wrappings and cards or Yuletide gifts at the Country Store or make furtive expeditions into the Fortune Teller's den. Students at the University of (Please turn to Page Two)

ABC Accepts Riviera-Times As Member Circulation Test Reveals Home Coverage Here

Acceptance of the Riviera-Times as a member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations, regarded throughout the newspaper and advertising world as the "official" source of circulation figures, was announced today. Membership in ABC was coincident with the publication of the first audit of Riviera-Times circulation figures, revealing that the local newspaper is delivered into 94.29 per cent of the homes in Coral Gables. The initial audit covered the fourth quarter of 1946 and the first quarter of 1947, the latter reflecting a net paid circulation of 3,010. A complete test of circulation, made March 7, 1947, of paid newspapers delivered to both business places and homes, as well as newsstand sales, revealed that circulations figures were 12.40 per cent greater in Coral Gables than the quarterly average, thereby reflecting continual progress and constantly expanding circulation. Figures compiled on the test day also indicated that circulation on the remainder of Dade county were 3.90 per cent greater than the average, while the overall circulation picture showed a gain of 9.34 per cent above the average. Audit reports of the ABC are sent to newspapers and advertising agencies throughout the United States, and are compiled only after exhaustive studies of the circulation are made by trained ABC auditors who are sent to the newspaper office from Chicago headquarters of the circulation agency. Figures released by the ABC are regarded as "gospel" by the publishing and advertising profession and the only true and exact reflections of the circulation picture.

Hallowe'en Fifteen Extra Police Watch for 'Spooks'

Tonight when the spirits and witches prowl the Coral Gables Police Force will add 15 men to the squad to prevent as much havoc as possible, Chief of Police William Simkgood stated today. The extra men will patrol the golf course, Venetian Pool, and Salvadore Park areas as well as the business districts of Coral Gables. Chief Kimbrough added that parents of children caught destroying or damaging property would be held accountable. Little destruction is anticipated for it is expected that the "trick or treat" custom will prevail this year as it has in the past.

Caldwell Host For Banquet In Gables

Sponsored by the Dade County Board of Commissioners and chambers of commerce in the Metropolitan Miami ayes, a formal Governor's dinner-dance November 10 at the Coral Gables Country Club will be planned at 4 p. m., today in Room 1443 DuPont Bldg. The event is part of the Crandon Park-Rickenbacker Causeway dedication program. Scheduled to start at 8 p. m., it will be an invitational affair. Gov. Millard F. Caldwell of Florida (Please turn to Page Two)

ONE OF THE TWO THOUSAND Gableites who took advantage of the free X-rays offered by the Dade County Tuberculosis Association this week was Mrs. Evelyn Roberts, 821 Columbus Boulevard, shown here being X-rayed by Eugene Gutierrez of the Florida State Board of Health. The unit, located in Sam's Building at Coral Way and Ponce de Leon Boulevard, will be operated through Nov. 7. —Riviera-Times photo by Binner

Apartment Plans Boost October Total Twenty Units Are Slated For Salamanca

With the authorization today of two new construction units, each amounting to $69,000, the building total for the month of October went over the million mark for the ninth consecutive month, Gilbert S. Campbell, city building inspector, announced today. "This is one of the biggest years in building in the history of Coral Gables," Campbell stated. "The grand total for new construction has reached $10,320,742.00 since January 1." The Louis Construction Co. filed plans for the construction of two 10-unit apartment houses at 12-32 Avenue Salamanca. Girard Pitt is the architect in charge.

Youths Lose Driver's Cards

Director of Public Safety William Kimbrough announced today that eight restricted driver's licenses issued to persons under 16 years of age had been cancelled in accordance with a new ruling by Attorney General J. Tom Watson. All schools in Coral Gables were notified of the new ruling which allows a police officer to cancel a restricted license without waiting for court procedure. All that is necessary, according to Watson's ruling, is that the officer is to take the license and write a letter of explanation to T. M. King, Jr., supervisor of the State Department of Public Safety in Tallahassee. Under Observation Captain Reeves said that he had four or five students at Ponce de Leon High School under observation and that their licenses would be taken if they would not obey safety rules. The measure is being enforced, Reeves said, to not penalize the youths but to prevent accidents in which they may be injured or killed.

Ponce Key Clubbers Announce Work Day

Members of the Ponce de Leon High School Key Club will observe "Work Day" on Saturday, according to an announcement made today. Club members seek one day jobs with local business men and turn the proceeds from their labors over to the Key Club fund. The club recently bought a tape recorder for the school.

Over 2000 Gables Residents Have Free X-Rays Taken

Free chest X-rays totalling about 2,200 were given in Coral Gables at 206 Coral Way through today as part of the county-wide drive to provide X-rays for 100,000 by December 19 in the battle against tuberculosis. While the total recorded showed Gablesites, it fell slightly below the daily total required of 500 in Coral Gables to help bring the daily count in the county to 2,500. Mayor Lauds Plan Mayor Keith Phillips, in endorsing the X-ray survey, spoke highly of it. "I urge every person in Coral Gables 15 years of age and over to take advantage of this wonderful public health service," he said. "It should be remembered that tuberculosis is a contagious disease. It is no respector of persons. Anybody can have it. It is beat to play safe and make sure that you do not have it by getting a free chest X-ray," he added. Registration Unnecessary It is not necessary to register in advance to get an X-ray. All persons have to do is present themselves at 206 Coral Way, register, and the X-ray takes only 30 seconds. A confidential report is made in about three weeks. X-raying will continue through next Friday at the same location, 206 Coral Way, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Clark Tract Will Be Sold At Auction

The Clark tract, the large expanse of vacant land bounded by Coral Way and Douglas Road, just east of the Gables, is slated to be sold at public auction, the Riviera-Times learned today. The tract, considered as one of the most desirable pieces of real estate in the area, has lain dormant for many years. S. A. MacDonald of the J. P. Day Florida Realty Corporation and Edward B. Moylan, Jr. of Miami will be in charge of the sale. No date has been announced.

New Buildings Added To City Tax Rolls

City Tax Assessor T. C. Blount announced today that for the first nine months of this year 145 new residences, 28 apartments and duplexes and 31 store buildings for which permits have been taken out have been processed by the assessor's office for taxation on January 1. These figures are in comparison with those for the year 1946 when permits were processed for 130 new residences, 34 apartments and duplexes, and 64 store buildings for a total of 228 units.

Agreement Is Reached On Biltmore

By DON CUDDY Riviera-Times Sports Editor A tentative agreement with Veterans Administration representatives from Atlanta and Washington concerning the transfer of the Biltmore golf course and its facilities to the City of Coral Gables has been reached, it was announced today. Hope was expressed by Mayor Keith Phillips, who made the announcement, that the property would be turned over to the city within a matter of days. Mayor Phillips said that the dispute concerning ways and means of the operation of a municipal course adjoining the hospital must be settled with approval by Washington and that no date for the city assuming control was set or suggested. "However," he said, "the representatives of the VA agreed with our plan and indicated that a final decision on the matter should be immediate—at least within a few days." The terms, as outlined by Phillips, will make the former officer's club part of the municipal course (Please turn to Page Two)

Girl Scout Activity Described For Jaycees

Activities of the Girl Scouts of America in Dade County were explained to members of the Coral Gables Junior Chamber of Commerce last night by Mrs. Joseph Weintraub, who heads the movement in this area. Mrs. Weintraub spoke at the regular dinner meeting of the Jaycees at the Country Club of Coral Gables.

Students To Conduct Rotary Club Program

The Wheel Club of Ponce de Leon High School will be in charge of the program at today's meeting of the Coral Gables Rotary Club at 12:15 at the Country Club of Coral Gables. Ed Henderson will be program chairman. The Wheel Club is sponsored by the local Rotarians.

Kiwanians Hear Musical Program

With Mary Davies and Harry Graham as soloists, members of the Coral Gables Kiwanis Club were presented with a program with a musical motif when they met at noon Tuesday at the Country Club of Coral Gables. Musical background for the singers was supplied by four members of the Philharmonic Society of Greater Miami with Oliver Washburn directing. Rees Marshall was program chairman.

City Manager Outlines Plans for Negotiating New Power Company Franchise

By WILLIAM T. McILWAIN Coral Gables City Manager Some time ago I informally suggested to the Commission that steps be taken to negotiate of a new thirty-year franchise with the Florida Power and Light Company. Such a franchise would be made after a review of the present franchise, which expires in March, 1956, and include any conditions which might be mutually agreeable to both parties. Among these conditions should be a provision providing for the payment, to the City of Coral Gables, of six per cent of the gross revenue derived from the sale of electricity and power within the city limits of Coral Gables, the possibility of this payment including the present personal property taxes assessed by the City. It is known that two or more such contracts have already been negotiated with the Florida Power and Light Company. Poll Suggested The net result of a new franchise would be an extension of approximately twenty years of the present franchise. It would be very necessary for the Commission to ascertain from the people of Coral Gables whether or not they desire to allow the present franchise to remain in force until 1956, and then consider the possibility of continuing service by a private company, or whether they may desire to establish a municipally owned power company. Such a municipally owned company could either provide generating and distribution systems or possibly could purchase the power wholesale and own and operate the distribution system. Publicly Desirable It is suggested that much publicity be given to the proposal and the Commission could ascertain, from the citizens, whether it is desired to make this decision now or within the next 10 years. If it should be known that the citizens desire a continuation of service from the private company, it would be advantageous to the city to negotiate a new franchise at this time. Under the proposed six percent plan we could expect to receive the gross income that is shown in the following figures because I have made no attempt to secure the actual gross income of the Florida Power and Light Company at this time. For this estimate, all figures are based on the ten-percent return from the utilities tax, and an actual gross would reflect a higher figure. Gross Income from Utilities Tax for the yearending Sept. 30, 1947 $ 46,244.22 | Assumed Gross Income 462,442.00 | Six percent of Assumed Gross 27,746.52 | 1946-47 Florida Power and Light personal property tax 10,968.30 | Net Additional revenue to City 16,778.22 | Conference Sought Efforts have been made to secure a conference with Florida Power and Light representatives, but, because of the two hurricanes, it has been impossible to discuss this problem with Mr. Robert Fite and Mr. William D. Fuller except in general terms. If a new franchise is acceptable to the Commission, it is suggested that a definite understanding be arrived at to improve the continuity of service to our citizens. Although I can understand the almost insurmountable handicaps of the power company because of labor and materials conditions, I believe that it is possible to improve the service within the next few years by a sensible program. Sufficient transmission lines of the company should be installed so that the city is not dependent on one circuit in one location. Such plans are underway, but the city should receive assurance of an approximate completion date. A definite program leading to the installation of under ground primary lipes within the next five years should be initiated. Pending the completion of underground installation, all primary circuits of the city should be rearranged to provide a grid system of interconnection whereby all primary circuits could be energized from more than one source. The present primary and secondary systems should be replaced or repaired, eliminating, as far as possible, all obsolete materials, such as wood insulator pins and consolidations of circuits, which are not now necessary in view of the large development of the city, both residential and commercial. Committee Suggested It is suggested that a committee including the city manager, city attorney, and city clerk be authorized to make a study of these conditions in cooperation with the Florida Power and Light Company. There are many problems that can be easily clarified by a close study, and the citizens can be assured of better service. It is my personal opinion that the power company has made great progress since the war period under extreme conditions, and I am sure that they are anxious to improve the service to our city.